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CBS Renews Summer Drama 'Zoo' for Season 2

Courtesy of CBS

A decision on the future of Halle Berry series 'Extant' is still being discussed.

CBS is going back to the zoo.

The network on Friday handed out a second-season renewal for the summer drama starring James Wolk. A decision on the future of second-year summer entry Extant, starring Halle Berry, is still being discussed.

"Zoo's thrilling stories clicked with audiences each week during a very competitive summer," new CBS Entertainment president Glenn Geller said. "We're excited for viewers to see where our talented writers and cast take them as the adventure continues to unfold during season two in the ultimate fight of man vs. beast."

In announcing the pickup, CBS touted the James Patterson adaptation as the most watched scripted summer series of 2015. The 13-episode run opened strong to 8.18 million total viewers but dropped off with its Sept. 15 finale, the latter of which registered 4.81 million in live-plus-same-day metrics. The series, from CBS Television Studios, has been a solid performer with DVR, gaining 1.2 million among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demo with seven days of delayed viewing and the same in total viewers.

Key to the renewal for the series — which did little to win over critics during its run — is the fact that the drama is produced in-house and was presold to Netflix with a lucrative streaming deal.

Zoo joins the previously announced BrainDead — from The Good Wife duo Robert and Michelle King — as well as unscripted staple Big Brother on CBS' summer 2016 lineup. (For its part, BrainDead has already set up its streaming deal with Amazon, making the show profitable before it has even been fully cast.)

The news comes after CBS canceled summer entry Under the Dome following its third season earlier this year. The CBSTVS/Amblin Television-produced drama helped pave the way for CBS to roll out pricey scripted fare in the typically lower-watched summer viewing months.

Sci-fi entry Extant, meanwhile, awaits word on if it will see a third season. The drama underwent a massive reboot for its recently concluded sophomore run, with new showrunners and a casting overhaul.